Hose device

ABSTRACT

A hose device includes a hose portion ( 3 ), at least a first end portion ( 2 ) and a channel ( 5 ) which extends along the hose device ( 1 ) through the first end portion and the hose portion. The hose device has flexible and elastic properties. The first end portion ( 2 ) of the hose device is in a mounted state arranged to be attached to a tubular connection member ( 7 ) by having the connection member introduced in the channel ( 5 ). The hose device has a transition portion ( 4 ), which is located between the first end portion ( 2 ) and the hose portion ( 3 ). The channel ( 5 ) thus extends also through the transition portion and has, at the transition portion ( 4 ), in a non-mounted state a non-circular cross-sectional shape and in the mounted state a substantially circular cross-sectional shape, which permits a free liquid flow through the channel ( 5 ).

THE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

The present invention refers to a hose device including a hose portion,at least a first end portion and a channel, which extends along the hosedevice through the first end portion and the hose portion, wherein thehose device has flexible and elastic properties, wherein the first endportion of the hose device in a mounted state is arranged to be attachedto a tubular connection member by having the connection memberintroduced in the channel and wherein the hose device includes atransition portion, which is located between the first end portion andthe hose portion.

Such hose devices are comprised by a short milk conduit, which normallyis manufactured in a rubber-like material and extends between a teatcupand a teatcup claw of a milking member. The short milk conduit may be aseparate hose or be a part of a teatcup liner, which is mounted in theshell of the teatcup. When the milk conduit is provided on theconnection member of the teatcup claw, which normally is designed as anobliquely cut pipe nipple, the inner cross-sectional shape of the milkconduit is deformed in such a way that the cross-sectional area isreduced, i.e. a constriction is formed in an area immediately outsidethe nipple. Such a constriction prevents a free milk flow through themilk conduit.

The patent literature includes several documents describing such hosedevices, which form a short milk conduit between a teatcup and a teatcupclaw.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,341,953 discloses a short milk hose having a bead whichextends radially outwardly from the milk hose immediately outside anobliquely cut connection nipple. The purpose of the bead is to preventthe hose from being damaged when the teatcup is falling downwardly.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,694,379 discloses a teatcup liner hose having a reducedthickness of material in an area immediately outside the connectionportion. The purpose of this reduction is to improve the possibility ofthe hose to close when the teatcup is hanging downwardly.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,630 discloses a teatcup liner hose having a bendedend, which is intended to be attached to a connection nipple. Thepurpose of the bended end appears to be to improve the closingcapability of the teatcup liner hose and to ensure a free milk flow in amilking position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a hose device by whichthe problems mentioned above may be remedied.

This purpose is obtained by the hose device initially defined, which ischaracterised in that the channel extends through the transition portionand in a non-mounted state has such a non-circular cross-sectional shapeat the transition portion that the channel in the mounted state forms asubstantially circular cross-sectional shape. Due to theincompressibility of flexible and elastic materials, includingelastomers such as natural and synthetic rubber, it is possible todesign the channel with such a non-symmetric, non-circularcross-sectional shape that the deformation mentioned above in themounted state, i.e. when the end portion of the hose device is mountedto the connection member, results in a substantially circularcross-sectional shape of substantially the whole transition portion ofthe channel, i.e. in an area immediately outside the connection member.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the connection member hasan end surface, which is obliquely cut, i.e. the end forms an annularend surface which is inclined in relation to a longitudinal centre axisof the tubular connection member, wherein the hose device in the mountedstate is arranged to be attached to the connection member in such a waythat the connection member extends into the transition portion.Furthermore, the outer surface of the connection member may, seen in across-sectional view, be substantially circular.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, said cross-sectionalshape of the channel forms a first portion including a radius and asecond outwardly extending portion. Such a cross-sectional shape has anegg-like appearance and has proved to form a substantially circularcross-section when the channel receives an obliquely cut pipe nipple,especially when the hose device is positioned in such a rotary positionin relation to the connection member that the second portion in themounted state is directed towards the obliquely cut end surface.Furthermore, said radius may be substantially constant.

According to a further embodiment, the channel has a longitudinal centreaxis, wherein the distance between the second portion and said centreaxis is larger than said radius seen in a cross-section through thetransition portion. Furthermore, said distance may increase along thetransition portion in a direction from the first end portion to amaximum value, whereafter said distance decreases in a direction towardsthe hose portion.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the end portion ofthe hose device includes an end surface, which has a chamfered portion.By such a chamfered portion, which may be substantially plane orconcave, possibilities are created to displace the end surface of thehose device to abutment against the outer surface of a teatcup claw evenif the teatcup claw includes projecting portions reducing the spacebeing available to the short milk hose. Furthermore, by such a chamferedportion, the orientation in the rotary direction of the hose device isfacilitated when the hose device is to be mounted to the connectionmember. Thereby, the second portion of the channel and the chamferedportion are advantageously located substantially straight after eachother seen in the extension of the hose device.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the hose device hasat least at the transition portion an outer surface, which, seen in across-sectional view, is substantially circular. Advantageously, thehose device may at the transition portion also have a larger wallthickness than at the first end portion and the hose portion. In such away, the strength of the hose device is improved in this area, which issubjected to wear due to the hose device frequently being bent, forinstance in a milk conduit application. Preferably, the hose deviceincludes a bead, which extends around the hose device and in thelongitudinal direction of the hose device over substantially the wholetransition portion. By giving the bead a longer extension in thelongitudinal direction of the hose device at the second portion than atthe first portion, a further strengthening of the transition portion isobtained. Such a prolonged bead over a portion also contributes to theachievement of a substantially circular cross-sectional shape of thechannel when the first end portion of the hose device is provided on aninlet nipple of a teatcup claw.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the hose device ison the outer side provided with grooves, which extend in thelongitudinal direction of the hose device over substantially the wholetransition portion in such a way that the hose device has a toothwheel-like shape seen in a cross-section through the transition portion.Such grooves, or more exactly the longitudinal projections extendingbetween the grooves, also contribute to an improved strength of thetransition portion, which is subjected to larger bending stresses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is now to be explained by means of the description of anembodiment and with reference to the drawings attached.

FIG. 1 discloses a perspective view of a hose device according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 discloses a longitudinal section of a part of the hose device inFIG. 1 in a non-mounted state.

FIG. 3 discloses a cross-section of the hose device along the lineIII—III in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 discloses a side-view of a part of the hose device in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 discloses a longitudinal section corresponding to the one in FIG.2 in a mounted state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 discloses a hose device in the form of a teatcup liner 1 for ateatcup of a milking member. The teatcup liner 1 includes an upper part1 a which is intended to be introduced into a shell of the teatcup, anda lower part 1 b, which forms a short milk conduit between the teatcupand a teatcup claw of the milking member. The upper part 1 a includes anopening through which the teatcup liner is intended to receive a teatduring milking of an animal.

The present invention will now be exemplified with reference to theteatcup liner 1 disclosed even if the invention is applicable to otherhose devices intended to be mounted to pipe ends.

The lower part 1 b of the teatcup liner 1 includes an end portion 2, ahose portion 3 and a transition portion 4, which is located between theend portion 2 and the hose portion 3, see also FIGS. 2–4.

The teatcup liner 1 disclosed is manufactured in one piece of a flexibleand elastic rubber material. Such rubber materials are substantiallyincompressible, i.e. the volume of a piece of material remainssubstantially constant independently of the fact if it is subjected todeformations. This material properties of rubber materials are explainedmore closely in USE OF RUBBER IN ENGINEERING by P. W. Allen, R. B.Lindley and A-R. Payne; 1967; Maclaren and Sons LTDs, London

The teatcup liner 1 includes a channel 5, which extends through thefirst end portion 2, the hose portion 3 and the transition portion 4.The channel 5 of the teatcup liner 1 is arranged to transport milk fromthe teatcup mentioned above to the teatcup claw in order to be suppliedtherefrom to a milk-collecting member via a long milk conduit.

In a rest position, which is disclosed in FIG. 1, the teatcup liner 1extends along a longitudinal axis x, see FIGS. 2 and 4. The teatcupliner 1 has a substantially circular shape seen in a substantiallyarbitrary cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis x. Thelongitudinal axis x forms the centre axis of the channel 5 in the firstend portion 2 and in the hose portion 3 when the teatcup liner 1 islocated in a rest state. The wall thickness of the teatcup liner 1 issubstantially constant along the end portion 2 and the hose portion 3.At the transition portion 4, the teatcup liner 1 has a larger wallthickness than at the end portion 2 and the hose portion 3.

The teatcup liner 1 is in a mounted state intended to be attached to aconnection member 7 in the form of a pipe nipple. Such a pipe nipple 7forms an inlet member of the teatcup claw, which is indicated by thereference sign 8 in FIG. 5. The teatcup liner 1 is mounted to the pipenipple 7 by guiding the latter into the channel 5. The pipe nipple 7has, as appears from FIG. 5, an obliquely cut end surface, i.e. thelongitudinal axis x is inclined in relation to the end surface by anacute angle α. The teatcup liner 1 is mounted to the pipe nipple 7 insuch a way that the teatcup liner 1 extends to abutment against theouter wall 8 a of the teatcup claw 8. The end portion 2 has an endsurface, which is provided with a chamfer 9. As apppears from FIG. 5,the chamfer 9 will abut an outer surface 8 b of the teatcup claw. Thisouter surface 8 b defines a portion of the teatcup claw 8, which extendsupwardly from the outer wall 8 a and which is arranged to includedifferent functions, such as for instance a closing valve. The chamfer 9may be a substantially plane surface or a curved, concave surface.Consequently, the chamfer 9 permits, in the example disclosed, theteatcup liner 1 to be displaced to abutment against the outer wall 8 aof the teatcup claw 8, and thus a defined position of the pipe nipple 7in the channel 5 in the longitudinal direction of the teatcup liner isdefined when the teatcup liner 1 is in the mounted state which isdisclosed in FIG. 5.

In the mounted state, the end surface of the pipe nipple 7 thus islocated in the transition portion 4. More precisely, an outer point ofthe end surface of the pipe nipple 7 is located at a part of thetransition portion 4, which adjoins the hose portion 3 and an innerpoint of the end surface of the pipe nipple 7, i.e. a point, which islocated more closely to the teatcup claw 8, at a part of the transitionportion 4, which adjoins the end portion 2. The end surface or openingof the pipe nipple 7 thus extends over a substantial part of thetransition portion 4.

As appears from FIGS. 2 and 3, the channel 5 has in the non-mountedstate a non-circular cross-sectional shape at the transition portion 4.More precisely, the channel 5 has an egg-like cross-sectional shapehaving a first portion 10, which has a substantially constant radius rand an outwardly extending second portion 11. The distance a from thechannel wall of the second portion 11 to the longitudinal axis x isgreater than the radius r seen in an arbitrary cross-section through thetransition portion 4. More precisely, this distance a is not constantbut increases from a value which is equal to the radius r to a maximumvalue, which is disclosed in FIG. 3, and decreases again to the value ofthe radius r. Preferably, the channel wall of the second portion 11 hasa radius, which is less than the radius r and the centre point of whichis displaced from the longitudinal axis x in a direction towards thesecond portion 11. At the second portion 11, the teatcup liner 1 thushas a smaller wall thickness than at the first portion 10 seen in across-section through the transition portion 4. From FIG. 2 also appearsthat the maximum value of the distance a is changed in the longitudinaldirection x of the teatcup liner 1 from a value corresponding to theradius r in a border area between the hose portion 3 and the transitionportion 4 to a maximum value and decreases again to the value of theradius r in a border area between the transition portion 4 and the endportion 2. Thanks to the proposed cross-sectional shape of thetransition portion 4 in the non-mounted state, substantially the wholechannel 5 will have, when the teatcup liner 1 is mounted to the pipenipple 7, a substantially circular cross-sectional shape, compare FIG.5.

In order to achieve a shape as circular as possible in the channel 5 inthe proximity of the pipe nipple 7, the end surface or the opening ofthe pipe nipple 7 is provided in such a manner that it faces the secondportion 11 of the channel 5. Consequently, it is essential that theteatcup liner 1 may be oriented not only in the longitudinal directionbut also in a suitable rotary position. Such a orientation isfacilitated by the chamfer 9, which advantageously may be provided insuch a way that it is located in the same angle position as the secondportion 11 in relation to the longitudinal axis x.

As appears from FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the teatcup liner 1 includes a bead13, which extends around the teatcup liner 1 and in the longitudinaldirection of the teatcup liner 1 along the longitudinal axis x oversubstantially the whole transition portion 4. The bead 13 includes abead portion 13′, which along a part of the periphery of the transitionportion 4 has a prolonged extension in the longitudinal direction x ofthe teatcup liner 1. This prolonged bead portion 13′ is located at thesecond portion 11, i.e. above the first portion 10. As appears fromFIGS. 1 and 4, the teatcup liner 1 is at the transition portion 4, i.e.on the bead 13, provided with longitudinal recesses or grooves 14 on theouter side in such a way that the liner has a tooth wheel-like shapeseen in a cross-section through the transition portion 4. The grooves 14extend substantially parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axisx, and a longitudinal projection 15 is formed between adjacent grooves14. The grooves are not disclosed in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment disclosed but maybe varied and modified within the scope of the following claims. It isin particular to be noted that the invention also is applicable to otherhose devices than teatcup liners 1. For instance, it may be applied tothe long milk conduit between the teatcup claw and the milk-collectingmember, or to other hoses of a milking machine or other hoses, which arenot intended to transport milk but other liquids and/or gases.

1. A hose device comprising: a hose portion; at least a first endportion; a channel which extends along the hose device through the firstend portion and the hose portion; and a transition portion which islocated between the first end portion and the hose portion, wherein thehose device has flexible and elastic properties, wherein the first endportion of the hose device in a mounted state is arranged to be attachedto a tubular connection member by having the connection memberintroduced in the channel, and wherein the channel extends through thetransition portion and in a non-mounted state has a non-circularcross-section shape at the transition portion that the channel in themounted state forms a substantially circular cross-sectional shape, andwherein the cross-sectional shape of the channel forms a first outwardportion including a radius (r) and a second outwardly extending portion.2. A device according to claim 1, further including a tubular connectionmember having an end surface which is obliquely cut, wherein the firstend portion of the hose device is mounted to the connection member insuch a way that the connection member extends into the transitionportion.
 3. A device according to claim 1, including a connectionmember, wherein the connection member has an outer surface, which seenin a cross-sectional view is substantially circular, and the first endportion is received on the connection member.
 4. A device according toclaim 1, wherein the channel in the non-mounted state has an egg-likecross-sectional shape.
 5. A device according to claim 2, wherein thehose device is in a rotary position in relation to the connection membersuch that the second portion is directed toward the obliquely cut endsurface.
 6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said radius (r) issubstantially constant.
 7. A device according to claim 1, wherein thechannel has a longitudinal center axis (x), wherein a distance (a)between the second portion and said center axis (x) is larger than saidradius (r) seen in a cross-section through the transition portion.
 8. Adevice according to claim 7, wherein said distance (a) increases alongthe transition portion in a direction from the first end portion to amaximum value, whereafter said distance (a) decreases in a directiontowards the hose portion.
 9. A device according to claim 1, wherein thefirst end portion includes an end surface which has a chamfered portion.10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the cross-sectional shape ofthe channel forms a first portion and a second portion, and wherein thesecond portion of the channel and the chamfered portion are locatedsubstantially straight after each other seen in the extension of thehose device.
 11. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transitionportion of the hose device has an outer surface which is substantiallycircular when viewed in cross-section.
 12. A device according to claim1, wherein the hose device at the transition portion has a larger wallthickness than at the first end portion and the hose portion.
 13. Adevice according to claim 1, including a bead which extends around thehose device and in the longitudinal direction (x) of the hose deviceover substantially the whole transition portion.
 14. A device accordingto claim 1, including a bead, wherein the cross-sectional shape of thechannel forms a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the beadhas a longer extension in the longitudinal direction (x) of the hosedevice at the second portion than at the first portion.
 15. A deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the hose device has an outer side which isprovided with grooves which extend in the longitudinal direction (x) ofthe hose device over substantially the whole transition portion in sucha way that the hose device has a tooth wheel-like shape seen in across-section through the transition portion.
 16. A hose device as setforth in claim 1, wherein the hose device is a teatcup liner andincludes an upper portion configured for mounting in a shell of ateatcup and for receiving the teat of an animal therein.
 17. A hosedevice comprising: a hose portion; at least a first end portion; achannel defined by a channel wall which extends along the hose devicethrough the first end portion and the hose portion along a longitudinalcenter axis (x); and a transition portion which is located between thefirst end portion and the hose portion, wherein the hose device hasflexible and elastic properties, wherein the first end portion of thehose device in a mounted state is configured for attachment to a tubularconnection member by having the connection member introduced in thechannel, and wherein the channel wall extends through the transitionportion and in a non-mounted state the channel wall in the transitionportion includes a first portion which has a channel having asubstantially constant radius (r) from the longitudinal axis to thefirst portion of the channel wall along the length of the transitionportion and an outwardly extending second portion which has a distance(a) between the longitudinal axis (x) and the second portion of thechannel wall progressively increases in a longitudinal direction andwherein the distance (a) along at least a part of the second portion isgreater than the radius (r), and wherein the channel wall has across-sectional shape which forms the first portion having the radius(r) and the second outwardly extending portion.